Roses Bleed Red
by Depressing Shadows
Summary: (A CO-OP with xXDarkAngelKittenXx) One fateful night, one dead girl and one killer on the loose. This is the problems that the Station Square detectives have to face as the hunt for the killer begins. (Slight/hinted Shadamy)
1. Chapter 1

**Hello once again, people of Fanfiction. Today, xXDarkAngelKittenXx and I will bring you a brand new story, so get hyped for this overpowered writing team. After reading this story, I also command you to check out D.A.K's stories.**

**Now, without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 1; **

**-Normal POV-**

_-A cold autumn breeze flows through Station Square. Leaves dance elegantly with the wind as they are ripped from the dying tree; and no one is there to hear the muffled screams and cries for help-_

Sirens echo through the streets as police hurries to the scene. Just minutes ago, they received a call from a frantic hedgehog, saying that a brutal murder had been committed. According to the caller, the murderer made a hasty retreat once he arrived at the scene. By then, the victim was already dead.

The police vehicle cut off its sirens as it pulled up into the driveway. When the vehicle came to a full stop, two police officers, both mobian hedgehogs, exited the car, armed and ready. They approached the door, which was busted open, yelling orders through it.

"Whoever's in there, come out with your hands above your head"

Shortly after the command was given, a blue hedgehog walked through the broken door. His clothes and fur was dyed a crimson red, and tears had recently been running down his cheeks. Once outside, he was cuffed by the officers and put in the back of the squad car. He didn't resist whatsoever, too numb by the shock to do anything. Making sure that the potential threat was dealt with, the two officers entered the house, clearing room by room. The house was a total mess: The rooms were thrashed, curtains were ripped down and broken glass littered the floor.

"_Whomever died put up one hell of a fight"_ one of the police officers thought as he entered the living room. Two gasps was heard as they took in the scenery: Crimson red stained the carpet and walls, and a little pink hedgehog, wrists slit and gun wounds dripping with blood, was leaning against one of the walls in the living room. Pools of crimson surrounded her, and she wasn't moving. The officers hurried to her side to check her pulse, but as they feared, it was already too late.

**-Shadow's POV-**

Closing the last dossier for the day and filing it in alphabetical order, I grabbed my jacket and prepared to leave my office. It had been a long, stressful day. However, I lightened up, thinking about what was waiting for me at home: A loving girlfriend, by the name of Amy Rose. A small smile appeared on my face as I made my way towards the door. A ringing sound stopped me dead in my tracks: My phone. Letting out an annoyed sigh, I reluctantly turned around. After a long day, this was not what I needed. I walked over to my phone, located on my desk, and picked it up.

"…Yes?"

A few seconds went by before the answer came.

"S-Shadow?"

Faker… _Just what I needed_. Judging from his stammering manner, he was just as excited to speak to me as I was to speak to him. He probably wanted to ask me some ludicrous bullshit, and expect me to help him or whatever. Typical. At this point, my patience was quickly running out.

"What do you want, faker?

Another short silence passed.

"A-Amy…"

I felt my rage building. Ever since Amy broke up with him, and got together with me, he has been harassing us non-stop, trying to get at Amy with every opportune opportunity. It has made her embarrassed, it has made her sad, and it has made her cry. It has also made me enraged, furious beyond belief, but I have restrained myself many times. This time, however, I would give him a piece of my mind.

" Listen here Sonic… I don't know why you're so obsessed with Amy, but if you keep this up, I am legally allowed to arrest you for harrasme…"

In the middle of my little rant, I was rudely cut off by the fateful line that would flip my life upside down.

"S-she's dead"

The frown that was plastered to my face quickly neutralized from the shock. Disbelief took a hold of me, and the phone I was holding to my ear slipped from my now limp hand. Staring into space, I quietly muttered to myself.

"No… It's not true… It can't be…"

My arms dropped to my side. In the background, I hear the questioning voice of Sonic coming from the phone on the ground. Hesitantly, I turned around once more and bolted out the door of my office. I ignored the looks my co-workers were giving me as I ran through the offices and halls. After a flight of stairs, I finally reached my car. I put the keys in the ignition, turned them sideways, making the car come to life with a loud roar. Leaving the underground garage, I found myself speeding through the streets of Station Square. I desperately wanted to get home to find a very alive Amy, waiting for me with open arms and a beautiful smile. I felt my heart drop as I saw two police cars parked outside my house.

"No… This CAN'T be happening…"

Hurrying out of my car and made my way towards my door, which was busted open. I looked around, seeing Sonic in one of the squad cars. Mentally noting it, I busted through the front door. This grabbed the attention of the four police officers currently at the scene. Pulling their guns on me, they told me not to move. Pulling out my G.U.N. badge, I got them to lower their weapons with some simple orders. After all, I was higher ranking then them. When that business was settled, my mind instantly shifted to the task at hand.

"Where is Amy?"

My demanding question was answered with shifting looks between the officers. One shook his head, one looked away, while the two whom blocked the gruesome sight moved away, revealing Amy. My eyes widened as I took in the scene. Rushing over to her side, I dropped to my knees in her crimson pools. Feeling her blood soak up into my cloths and fur, I finally fully realised what had happened. She was gone… Forever. Tears started uncontrollably rolling down my cheeks. I started muttering incoherent things as I wept by her side. Lifting up her hand, I was disgusted to find her wrists slit. I quickly let go of the mutilated hand. _What kind of monster would do this…_ My thoughts drifted towards Sonic. He was on the scene before I came here. Eyes widening once more, my thoughts drifted towards a possible killer. Clenching my fists, and anger reaching its peak, I arose from the pool of blood. Snapping around, I made a fast-paced B-line for the door, only to be stopped by one of the police officers.

"I'm sorry for you loss… but you need to come with us downtown, alongside the other hedgehog"

Pushing him out of the way, not giving his orders a second thought, I continued forwards towards the squad car where Sonic was located. I opened the door and practically ripped him out of his seat and threw him to the curb. An incredible anger, fuelled by sorrow and sadness, took control of my actions from this moment on. Staring at Sonic, I watched him get up to his knees, fear in his eyes. Grabbing a hold of his collar, I furiously asked him:

"Did you do it? ANSWER me you piece of shit!"

His eyes darted from one side to another, and avoided my gaze. I raised my hand, prepared to slap the taste out of his mouth. I would have, but the officer from before, grabbed my hand and ripped me away from Sonic. Giving me a stern look, the officer decided to speak up once more.

"Don't draw conclusions yet. We'll handle the interrogation later on in the investigation. Now please don't resist, and come with us… Both of you"

**That's the first chapter done. Tell us what you think by reviewing.**

**Until next time.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is the next part of the story. Since there is no reviews to reply to, we'll just get right into the action. **

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 2**

**-Normal POV-**

The ride from the house to the police station was long and quiet. Shadow had noticed an investigative team stayed behind as they officer pulled off from his driveway. During the drive, he was seated next to Sonic. Sending a glance of scorn towards Sonic every so often, he barely restrained himself from choking the blue hedgehog to death.

He didn't care what they said. Sonic was there. Sonic did it. The beloved hero had fallen from grace. He didn't know what he had to do to prove this, but he was willing to go the extra mile for his rose. She will not die in vain. Another glance at Sonic practically sealed his fate.

Shadow would make sure of this.

**-The Station-****  
**  
"Alright, Sonic we need to know everything you know." A blue cat say on the opposite end of the table. His nametag read Detective Rhodes. Sonic didn't like that name. "There's not that much to tell," Sonic replied, lazily. The detective frowned; the hedgehog's attitude towards a serious case like this was not appreciated.

"Our officers found you when they arrived at the crime scene. Your likeliness of being the criminal is very high right now." It was supposed to defuse his attitude, but instead, riled him on;

"But it wasn't me, I swear!" the blue hedgehog cried. "I'm an international HERO! Why would I do such a thing?". With a sigh, the detective wrote some words on a notepad. Looking away from the suspect, the detective tried to catch a moment's pause to think. It was abruptly ended by the number one suspect:

"Aren't you supposed to question us after the investigation is over?" the blue hedgehog whined.

"We question who we have at the time. The investigation just adds a little light to who might've commit the crime. You were there, and that leads to you being questioned first. I need to know what you know." Rhodes repeated. Sonic rolled his emerald eyes.

"I showed up and found Amy-"

"She is to be addressed as the victim."

"-on the floor when I opened the door."

"How did you get in if it wasn't your own house?" Rhodes asked.

"The door was unlocked when I GOT THERE. Does none of this go through your skull?" Sonic sneered.

"I would ask you don't grow hostile, Mr. Hedgehog. These are simply questions-"

"Yeah, and I don't have a lawyer AND you don't have evidence against me, so until then, see ya!" The blue suspect got up from his chair and headed for the door, but a man blocked his path.

"The Detective isn't finished."

"Nobody asked you, outta my way!" he bellowed, but the security remained put.

"Mr. Hedgehog...we can do this the easy way..." Rhodes began. Sonic sharply told him to shut up and sat at the chair, before he broke down crying. The cat sighed; it was going to be a long day. 

It was rare for Shadow to be seen shedding a tear, but today, the whole Station Square Police Department would hear the tormented yells of Shadow the Emotional Distressed Hedgehog. Rhodes barely got a word in before he started crying for 'his rose' as he so-called it. When he asked if Shadow had a clue as to who might've done it, he would quickly shout Sonic's name, followed by a creative line-up of swears.

The blue cat watched on with an indifferent expression, trying to not let his emotions get in the way of his work, and tried asking a question, "Mr...Hedgehog, may I ask where you were at the time of the, uh...incident?". Trying to compose himself, the ebony hedgehog answered.

"I was...at work..."

"And how did it come to your attention that our victim was...uh..."

"Sonic called me...at work..."

"Right...so, you were at work when this happened?"

"Yes..."

"Okay, then." Rhodes wrote this on his notepad when the door suddenly flew open. A purple cat came in with a folder, "I'm in the middle of an interrogation, here."

"I know, but we have one more suspect to add after the investigative team returned. Someone else's blood was identified at the scene. A woman by the name of Rouge the Bat..." she said. Shadow, who had been looking down at the desk in front of him, trying to conceal his tears, immediately looked up.

"…What?" Shadow said, his voice charged with an emotion consisting of a mixture of anger and disbelief.

"Do you know this person?"

"She's my colleague… from G.U.N..."

The room fell silent as Detective Rhodes contemplated what to do with this information. Shadow was in a state of shock, and the purple cat shifted nervously in the tension. The ebony hedgehog then starting crying again, letting his face rest in the palms of his hands.

"Call Ms. Rouge and have her come down here, please."

"Yes, sir."

As the purple cat left the room, an eerie silence was upon the two that still remained in the room. Detective Rhodes slowly turned towards the ebony hedgehog, who was currently in a state of overwhelming sorrow. Observing the hedgehog, he saw him mutter something to himself.

"Excuse me, what did you say?" The detective asked as carefully as possible, not wanting to tip the emotional hedgehog over the edge. However, at this point, it was already too late.

"THAT BITCH!" The sorrow-stricken hedgehog yelled as he stood up and chucked his chair across the room. The security quickly went over to him to get him under control. Tapping his fingers along the table, he sighed again. The hardest part of his job...when the secrets become unravelled.

**That is all for now. Next part will be expected to be out next weekend.**

**Until next time…**


	3. Chapter 3

**Long time since last update and I apologize, but the last week has been very tiring for me, and I could not find the time to write. **

**But now, without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 3**

Looking up for the first time in many passing minutes, Detective Rhodes was uncertain of what to do: He could hope that Rouge picked up her phone and came down to the police station. However, if she didn't answer her phone, and if she wasn't found, this murder mystery would maybe miss a crucial piece. Looking over at the male hedgehog that was recently subdued by the security guards, he decided that he probably wasn't going to get more information from the broken hedgehog today. He seemed to have an alibi, and furthermore he had, as of now, no reason to commit the murder.

"Alright… This interrogation is over. Please, follow the security officer to your designated cell"

Looking up at the up at the detective, Shadow, who previously had been too distressed to do just about anything but sob, spoke up.

"You better find out who did this to her…"

Shadow turned away from the detective. He then arose from his seat and walked over to the door of the dimly lit room, not caring what the guard told him. Turning to face the detective one last time, his fiery red eyes seemingly staring right through him.

"… Or I will"

Their eye contact was broken when the security guard forcefully pushed Shadow out of the room. Another line of creative swears emitted from the ebony hedgehog as he left the vicinity. Exiting the room, Detective Rhodes was in a mental distress of his own, concerning the new suspect. Walking towards the office areas, he could only wonder what part she played in the murder. He approached the purple cat whom had previously interrupted his interrogation, wanting the full analysis of the crime scene.

"Excuse me Miss Monica; do you have the full analysis of the crime scene?"

The purple cat nodded slightly before picking up the dossier that the investigators had brought her.

"The victim was killed by a combination of slashes from a knife and gunshots. Ammunition and gun type is yet to be decided definitely, but the investigator's guess is .45 ACP rounds fired from a handgun. The teams of doctors are still trying to figure out what the cause of death was... Anyways, how did the investigations go?"

Trying to change the subject for at least a brief moment, she gave him the dossier and sat down. Leaning against one for the walls in the cubical, Detective Rhodes shrugged before answering.

"Sonic is acting suspicious, however, as of now, he has no reasons to have committed the murder. He is a world-renowned hero for God's sake. Shadow, on the other hand, is a loose cannon, but he has a pretty strong alibi. His mental state is questionable, however, I should check with his boss or co-workers, and get their 2 cents on Shadow's mental state before the murder accrued before jumping to conclusions. Speaking of co-workers, did you manage to get a hold of the bat?"

Her eyes shifted, fearing for the detectives reaction.

"No… but we are trying our best to locate her…"

Detective Rhodes was less then pleased with this answer. He needed time to think. However, time was a valuable resource that wasn't available at the moment. Deciding to trust his instincts, he spoke up.

"Get me a search warrant for her house, as quickly as possible!"

**-Rouge's Mansion-**

Arriving at Rouge's mansion, Detective Rhodes got out of his squad car and walked up to the door. Taking one deep breath, he knocked on the door. He knew it was dangerous to approach suspects alone, but he had no time to wait for that search warrant. He needed the bat in custody as quickly as possible. Many agonizing seconds went by as he waited for a response. When a full minute had passed, he decided he could wait no longer. A quick turn of the doorknob showed that the door was locked. A sigh emitted from the detective; he didn't want to kick down the door, as it could result in a lawsuit if the bat was innocent. However, he couldn't leave here empty handed. A heavy sigh and a broken door later showed that he chose the latter option. Readying his gun, he started clearing rooms. After a long search, the detective frowned, as it turned out that the mansion was empty. Lowering his weapon and promptly holstering it, he looked around. Recalling from his search, he had noticed that the kitchen looked a bit untidy, compared to the rest of the house. Without another thought or mission, he made his way towards the kitchen.

"_There must be at least some clues towards her involvement in this case."_

Once in the kitchen, Rhodes looked around; the room was a mess. There was unclean dishes, clothes on the floor and the lights were left on when the bat left the house. "_Someone left here in a hurry_" the detective mentally noted as he continued to look around. Suddenly, a small, metallic object caught the detective's attention: It was a handgun. Not only was it a handgun, it was a handgun belonging to either a G.U.N. agent or the police. Approaching it, he could make out the registered number on the gun. Picking up his phone, he called Monica.

"Hello?"

"Monica, I need to know who owns a handgun…"

Rhodes was abruptly cut off by Monica.

"Where are you and what are you doing?"

"That is not important at the moment, now find out who owns a handgun with the number-code "145798" ".

A few tense seconds went by.

"The handgun with number-code "145798" belongs to… Shadow the Hedgehog"

**That's all for now. We'll be back when the next chapter is finished.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Ah, Fanfiction! It's been a long time, and I have quite a good reason for not posting any updates as of recent: My left hand was injured in a traffic-related accident, and therefore, as you can imagine, I couldn't do much of anything with it. But now I'm back, and back to stay. Now, on with the story.**

**Without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 4**

Detective Rhodes stood there with the phone to his ear for a good minute before Monica's voice broke him out of his gaze.

"Mr. Rhodes? Are you there?"

Shaking his head a little, he nodded his head, though she couldn't see, "Yeah, I'm here."

"Where are you, why did you-"

"Listen, now isn't the time for that. Get Shadow ready for more questioning and have an investigation team come to Ms. Rouge's mansion. I'm coming back to the station."

_And not empty-handed_, he added in his head. Hanging up the phone and putting it in his pocket, he grabbed gloves from the inside of his coat, and grabbed the gun. Quickly, he went back to the squad car, found a bag to put the gun in, and drove back to the police station.

"This just gets more complicated by the hour..." he said to himself.

-Station Square Police Station-

"I thought we were done here?" Shadow asked irritated. His gaze met the detective's.

"We were...until I found this." Rhodes tossed the bag with the gun in it on the table as he sat down. The ebony hedgehog's eyes widened before a hard expression settled on his face.

"Where did you find this?"

"That's not important unless you want to tell me where you were at the time of the crime." Detective Rhodes said.

"I told you, I was at work." Shadow answered, slightly annoyed.

"Were you really?" the detective questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"Are you calling me a liar?" Shadow snarled, narrowing his eyes. At this point, the grieving hedgehog had just about had enough.

"No, but any and all information said could be used against you in the court of law, so telling the truth would only benefit your behalf." Rhodes said, perfectly calm.

"I was at work. Need I say more? Or would you like to speak? Would you like to tell me why you have my gun?"

"So it's yours?"

"Don't play that game with me. I AM a G.U.N. agent; I know the tricks. Why do you have it?" Shadow asked again. The pair remained silenced for a brief moment before the detective spoke up once more.

"It was found at Rouge's house."

"Why was it there?!" the ebony male exclaimed.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" Rhodes asked. That was Shadow's breaking point; the ebony hedgehog's hand curled into fists before he stood and tried to attack the detective. A security guard reacted quickly as the detective moved out the way. He said nothing as the raging male was taken out the office again.

"I WILL FIND WHO KILLED HER MYSELF!" he shouted. Monica came in after he was escorted out.

"Um..."

"Did you find anything on the gun or at the bat's house?" Rhodes asked, completely ignoring what had just happened.

"We didn't find any fingerprints on the gun, but Rouge's prints are all over the kitchen and we're looking through the clothes for anything. So far, all we found were a credit card in a jacket pocket and some make-up..."

"Find out what was bought and when it was. Anything that would lead to her whereabouts or whatever else."

"Yes, sir."

Without another word, Monica ran off in an attempt to get the required information. Rhodes, now alone with his thoughts, pondered about the different possibilities: _Since there is no fingerprints on the gun… The killer had gloves on… At least at the moment when the crime was committed. _His thoughts slowly drifted towards his number one suspect: The blue hedgehog. At that moment, the security guard whom had previously subdued Shadow, returned. Turning towards him, Rhodes ordered him to bring Sonic to the interrogation room. A quick nod confirmed that the order had been received, and shortly after, he returned with the suspect.

"I thought we were done here!" the exasperated blue hedgehog exclaimed. A short chuckle escaped the detective's lips as the striking resemblance between the hedgehogs became visible.

"What's so funny?" Sonic snapped at the detective.

"Your opening quote bears striking resemblance to your ebony counterpart, but I digress. Now… What is your relation to… Amy Rose?" The detective spoke, breaking his own rules about calling victims by their real name. The question seemed to catch the blue hedgehog off guard, as he shifted in his seat and his eyes darted from side to side.

"Oh… You know. We're friends… I mean, were friends, eh…" Sonic answered, looking away.

"Oh really?_ Sounds believable_" the detective spat, adding a sarcastic tone to it all. The suspect looked at the detective, hopelessness in his eyes.

"Ok… Ok. She was my ex, okay? Happy?" Sonic answered, hoping for the detective to leave him alone.

"Ex?" the detective questioned, not happy with the answer he had gotten. A heavy sigh escaped the suspect's lips.

"Before she was going out with Shadow, she was dating me." Sonic explained.

"And why did she stop dating you?" Rhodes pressed on.

"She caught me cheating… It was just a one-time thing, with some bitch squirrel or what not. In short; I was drunk and fucked up". It was hard to tell if he was sad, angry or both, since the valves were opened and tears we flowing down his cheeks. However, an angry frown was present. He slammed his fist into the table. The security guard looked at the detective, but he waved him off. Assuming an uneasy stance, the security guard followed the blue suspects actions closely.

"So…" The detective started, trying to get the distressed hedgehog's attention.

"What, exactly, were you doing at Rose's apartment at the date of the crime?"

His quiet sobbing ended, and slowly but surely, he looked up. Their gazes met, and a somewhat awkward silence settled. Breaking eye contact, the blue hedgehog scratched his neck and looked around.

"Well?"

Another moment of silence passed by. This time it was detective's time to sigh.

"If you aren't going to answer, then maybe I'll go get Shadow and let him carry on the interrogation"

This caught the suspect's attention.

"Y-y-You can't!"

A smirk made itself present on the detectives face.

"Why not? We have no evidence to prove it's him, and he is a G.U.N. agent…" Rhodes trailed off. Panic grew inside Sonic as he desperately tried to think of anything, but came up short. Sighing in defeat, Sonic spoke up.

"Alright, fine… What I was do…"

The door shot up and Monica came barging in, interrupting Sonic. Snapping around, Detective Rhodes made his annoyance clear:

"I'm kind of in the MIDDLE of something here! That's the second time today!"

Taken aback by the sudden outburst, Monica tried to compose herself as she explained:

"I-I am terribly sorry, but this is very urgent"

Looking over at the security guard, Rhodes sighed.

"Take him to his cell…" Looking over at the suspect, he continued:

"We're _far_ from done here"

Walking outside with Monica, Rhodes could not help but show how displeased he was by the interruption.

"This _better _be important"

Monica was not happy about his tone, but decided to ignore it.

"It is rather important. Firstly, we have gotten information about Rouge's whereabouts; she is on vacation, and will be expected home in about a week…"

She stopped briefly to let the information sink in.

"And?" the inpatient detective asked. Another moment of silence went by.

"Secondly: Shadow is getting, by orders of G.U.N., released from custody. We have not have enough evidence to keep him here, and gut feelings count for nothing. We have to release him, or there is going to be sanctions so far up our…"

"That's enough. I think I got everything I needed from him anyways."

Detective Rhodes slowly turned away from Monica and walked down the crowded corridors of the police station, deep in though: _Am I letting a loose end go, or am I getting tangled into a web of mysteries? One thing is for sure though; Blue boy has information, and I need it, no matter what._

Looking up with an evil grin on his face, he laid his eyes upon the cell, containing the ebony hedgehog…

**Nothing like a good Cliffhanger to welcome you all back, eh? **

**Anyways, read and review.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Back with nothing to announce; **

**Now, without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 5**

Sonic sat there, rapping his fingers against the bars of his holding cell watching as the detective went over to Shadow's cell with a set of keys. His emeralds stared hard at the cat as he unlocked the door, letting the ebony hedgehog out.

"By orders of GUN, you have to be released from custody." Rhodes informed the hedgehog. A smirk played at the other male's lips, but he held his stoic expression.

"It only makes sense. You can't prove I did anything anyways..." Shadow remarked.

"At the moment, sure. But I'll be sure to contact you if anything comes to attention." the cat said coldly. Monica, the girl that always seemed to have something to say, came by and escorted the ebony male to the door. Soon, Rhodes turned toward Sonic with a smile that was too happy to be real. He was in the hedgehog's face within seconds.

"And you want what?" Sonic asked, irritated. He had just let Shadow go and he didn't look like he came to do the same for him.

"Well, our session earlier was cut short and it's time to continue. "Mark." Rhodes turned and the security guard came over to escort him to the interrogation room once more. The blue hedgehog had to look up slightly to glare directly in his eyes, but 'Mark' didn't seemed fazed and blocked his only chance at making a run for it. Without much choice, he followed the guard and the detective. 

"Okay, to get straight to the point, I want to know everything you know; from the time you left your house this morning to when you 'just so happened' to arrive at Miss Rose's apartment after she'd been murdered." the detective stated, crossing his arms. The blue hedgehog rolled his emerald eyes.

"You'll think of everything just to get me to say anything, won't you? Well, if you must know I-"

Slamming his fist into the table, a frown quickly grew on the detective's face.

"I suggest you not play around and only tell me anything that'll be relevant to the situation here." Rhodes interrupted, rudely.

Sonic narrowed his eyes, "Oh, fine. I woke up, ate breakfast, took a shower-"

"Sonic." Rhodes spoke warningly. The blue hedgehog almost laughed; he's obviously not in the mood for playing games.

"Alright. All I remember doing today was going out to see a friend, then I headed over to Amy's apartment to...talk to her." the hedgehog said, shrugging. By Sonics' tone, he figured there was more to him 'talking' to her. He needed a way to get it out of him. Beating around the bush seemed to be an effective tactic with him.

"What's your friend's name?"

"Sally. You know, princess and all. That one." Sonic replied sarcastically. Rhodes gritted his teeth, keeping his temper in check.

"And I'm guessing this is the person you were seeing after Miss Rose broke up with you?" the detective asked.

Waving dismissively, "Yeah, you could say that..."

"Would you happen to know why Miss Rose broke things off?" the cat asked, leaning forward on his hand, looking interested. Sonic shifted in his seat a little and looked away. All of a sudden, he's hesitant? Rhodes thought.

"It's stupid."

"If it could lead to a reason as to why she was murdered, it's important."

The blue hedgehog sighed, "It was a misunderstanding while I was with a friend." he explained vaguely.

"Sally, I assume?"

"Yeah."

"Caught in a compromising position, were you?"

"I guess."

"And she broke up with you because of it?"

Sonic paused before scoffing, "She'd been eyeing up Shadow for the last week of us being together. If she hadn't caught me, she'd probably have left anyway. Makes no difference." he said, crossing his arms. Rhodes leaned back a little.

"You didn't like that did you?"

"Well, he is my sworn rival; it wouldn't exactly be fair that gets my girl, too!" the blue hedgehog exclaimed, "But of course, he did anyway. Bastard..."

"Now, you said you went to talk to Miss Rose. What did you talk about exactly?" Rhodes asked.

His emerald eyes shifted from one place to another, anywhere but the detective's. A sure sign that he was about to lie, "What's it matter to you?"

"It matters if this could be the reason that she was murdered, or if this possibly caused her to commit suicide." the detective explained again, narrowing his eyes. The one detail he wants to leave out could be the one I need, he thought.

Silence. He opened his mouth, then closed it again. A sigh, "I wanted to ask her if she'd get back with me." Pathetic! Rhodes screamed his mind. Of course, it would break his professionalism if he did utter that aloud.

"Even after she caught you cheating, called it quits, and moved on?"

"I never said I cheated on her."

"You didn't have to, don't avoid the question."

Another pause, "Yeah. I figured I still had a shot." Shot? Why didn't he just say 'chance'? Rhodes asked himself.

"And it was just you two?" the cat asked.

"Duh."

"What did she tell you?"

"You know, the usual stuff chicks say. It's over, I've moved on, blah, blah, blah."

"But you said you showed up and she was dead. You were the one who called 911 after all..."

Eyes went wide, and Rhodes smirked. He was caught in his own lie. One of the reasons I love my job...Rhodes thought. His frown deepening, Rhodes leaned forwards, getting face to face with Sonic.

"You tell me _exactly_ what I need to know, or I am going to call one certain G.U.N. agent to move this interrogation along"

After a swift count to three, the only thing the detective got from Sonic was stuttering and disbelief. Picking up his phone, Rhodes dialled in the number that Sonic feared.

"Shadow? Come to the police station at once, I've got something that might interest you…"

**Another chapter done. I'll get the next one up as soon as possible.**


	6. Chapter 6

**Here is what you all have been waiting for:**

**Without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 6**

Turning around, Rhodes looked at Sonic's terrified expression. He knew that if he was going to get information from him, it was now. Sitting across from the scared hedgehog, he looked at him, a frown priding his facial features.

"Now, _Sonic_… Is there anything you want to tell me willingly? Or do you want Shadow to force it from you?"

Squirming in his seat, Sonic was getting increasingly uncomfortable.

"I-I won't say a-anything more until I've spoken with my lawyer!" Sonic said, regaining a bit of confidence. Looking over at the detective, he saw him get up and walk over to him. Pulling out a pair of handcuffs, he swiftly cuffed the blue hedgehog to the table. Walking towards the door, the detective looked over his shoulder with a smirk on his face.

"I don't think Shadow really cares about that… Mark! Leave this man to think about it"

Mark shrugged, and followed the detective's orders. Sonic's level of panic drastically rose; for him, the four horsemen of the apocalypse was riding towards him at an alarming pace, and there was nothing he could do about it. He looked for any way to escape: He tried to force the cuffs off, but to no avail. He also looked for a way to detach the cuffs from the table, but once again, his efforts were futile. Sonic knew that there was no way, but refused to believe it. However, after just a few more minutes it dawned on him: He was trapped. The situation was made no better when he heard a familiar voice outside the door:

"_Where_ is he?"

"In that room; go easy on him"

As the door slowly opened, the blue hedgehog resigned to his inevitable fate. Shadow slowly walked towards Sonic with something in his right hand. Walking up to Sonic's right side, Shadow slammed the object on the table, right in front of Sonic. This sudden action made the blue hedgehog jump, only to be yanked back by the cuffs around his wrists.

"Do you know… what _that_ is?"

Sonic studied the object presented to him; it was a handgun, contorted and bent: Completely broken and unusable. Sonic suspected that there was a hidden meaning to the question, and he wasn't about to try his luck with Shadow. A quick shake of the head was all that he could amount to; Shadow's mere demeanour was enough to make Sonic mute.

"_This … _Is the object that ended the life of the only person I've ever loved…"

The statement apparently confused Sonic. Scraping together the courage needed, he managed to stutter out an obvious statement:

"B-but it's c-completely broken"

Shadow walked around Sonic to Sonic's left side, like a shark circling it's pray, letting out a small chuckle.

"Oh… I did that. I did that to the object that killed my Rose; can you imagine what I would do to the _PERSON_ who killed her?"

Sitting down in the chair that was directly across from Sonic, Shadow started the interrogation. He knew that he was in control, and felt comfortable in the situation, in contrary to the number one suspect.

"Now… What were you doing at Rose's house? Tell the truth, or I will force it from you"

For the duration between the question and the answer, their gazes met: Fiery crimson and wavering emerald facing off. In this moment, Sonic decided ,against his better judgement, to make a stand and oppose Shadow.

"I… wanted to give her another shot at being with me instead of you, _faker_"

"How many times have you done this without her boyfriend knowing?"

To Sonic's surprise, his comment didn't seem to faze Shadow in the slightest. Taking it as a sign that he could try his luck even further with Shadow, he continued.

"Oh, I did it many times. And…"

"And?"

"After a while and a couple of tires… She was less opposed for "_a bit of fun_" after our discussions. Behind her gullible boyfriend's back, of course."

Taken aback by the blue hedgehogs comment, clear signs of mental pain and stress made itself know on Shadow's face. Sonic spotted this, and decided once more to comment on the situation.

"Are you going to cry now, _Mr. Ultimate_?"

That was his limit. Any sorrow, grief and professionalism was quickly engulfed by the fires of anger: He snapped…

-Meanwhile-

Monica, who had just seen who Rhodes had sent to interrogate Sonic, rushed over to the detective's side.

"Are you sure that is a good idea, he might lose his cool"

Looking over at Monica, Rhodes answered her statement:

"He won't; he's a professional, and one of the best at that"

Not utterly convinced by the detective, she decided to change the topic.

"Do you think he did it?"

"Sonic? I don't know… He has made a few errors in the way he has conducted himself that points the finger on him. However, he might just be stressed. Nevertheless, I am really interested in hearing what Rouge has to say in this case. Her being on vacation right after this happens is way too convenient…"

"It is only a couple of days until she's back. Until then, we should focus on our suspects. I am still not sure about Shadow. He doesn't seem like the most friendly type"

"I know, but …"

The detective was abruptly cut off by a shout coming from the interrogation room.

"I'M GOING TO FUCKING END YOU"

**Not pleased with this chapter (I wrote it). Anyways, tell me what you think.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Once again, we are back with a new chapter of our beloved story.**

**Without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 7**

_If I don't put a stop to this soon...Both of them might end up dead_... Rhodes thought as he rushed to the interrogation room. When the cat looked through the small window affixed to the door, he expected a number of things. A bloodbath, maybe. Senseless murder, most likely. He did not, however, predict a tornado of black and blue tearing its way across the room. Both moving so fast in a frenzy of clashing quills and scorching attack, it was hard to see who had the upper hand.

The desk had been flipped on its side.

The chairs had been thrown and torn up.

It was at this moment Rhodes was thankful Shadow hadn't released a Chaos Blast. If he did, they'd probably need a new police station...and quite possibly lives as well. Carefully opening the door, he was surprised when he felt a gust of wind; apparently they were moving so fast, they created a draft. Within the next moment, a strong coppery smell filled his nostrils. He didn't have much longer until they probably killed each other.

_My money is on _Shadow Rhodes sarcastically thought as he turned and faced Mark, "Get in there and tear them apart before someone loses a life." he commanded, pointing at the tornado. The blue cat noticed the hesitation in the bulky security guard's motion. He nervously took one step, then two towards the door. He peeked in just a bit.

"N-No way! I could die in there...!" Being the first time he's heard his voice, Rhodes was taken aback. It sounded an awful lot like a foot crunching on gravel. It became clear: he was big, but he knew how to pick a fight. If he went in there, he may not come back out.

But of all the things to say, and at this moment...

"Well, someone's got to go in there. I can't go because I'm the detective. And we can't call the police because YOU ARE THE POLICE! NOW; GET YOUR ASS IN THERE AND SPERATE THEM BEFORE THEIR FIGHT COSTS US THE CASE" Rhodes roared at Mark. Taken aback by the annoyed and enraged outburst, the guard once more stepped towards the room and hesitantly entered. Carefully closing in on the hedgehogs whom were currently battling to the death, he slowly reached into the tornado and grabbed a hold of one of the gladiators:

"WHOA - wha - HEY!" Sonic was being held by his foot, upside down. Shadow, who noticed this change of pace, wiped away blood from his mouth and charged towards the vulnerable hedgehog, fists raised. Sonic, realising that he was helpless, only covered his face with his arms and braced for impact. However, the impact never came:

"Let me go, so I can finish him!" Shadow roared as he was being held back by Mark. Sonic used this distraction to slip out of Mark's grasp. With Mark's attention divided, Shadow easily pushed him aside, making him lose balance and end up on the cold iron floor. With their restraint out of the way, the two hedgehogs were back at it again. Sonic landed the first strike; a solid punch landing directly in the centre of Shadow's stomach, making the Ultimate Lifeform stumble backwards. Shadow retaliated by lunging forwards, knocking both hedgehogs to the ground. Landing atop of Sonic, Shadow placed his hands on each side of Sonic's head.

"I'm gonna CRUSH your skull like you crushed my hopes and dreams" Shadow roared. Applying pressure to his skull, Sonic desperately tried to retaliate by flailing his arms and his feet, but to no avail. However, Sonic had a saving angel: Mark was back to his feet and ripped Shadow away from the terrified blue hedgehog and kept him at a distance. It was no easy task; the artificially engineered ebony male was considerably strong. Rhodes decided this was the time to let his presence be known and stepped into the room and faced him.  
"I thought you could handle this professionally." it wasn't a question, more a statement filled with disappointment. At this point, they were getting no where; especially with Rouge still MIA at the moment.

"I did, until that spiky blue bastard had the NERVE to talk about Amy the way he did! You would have done the same thing" Shadow spitefully said, glancing over at the blue hedgehog.

"Well, I wasn't lying." The blue hedgehog retorted. At that moment, the room filled with a bright yellow, electrical glow as a burst of pure energy was sent flying through the room, just barely missing Sonic.

"Look at you, can't even aim!" the blue one taunted.

"SHUT UP!" the male screamed.

Sonic stuck his tongue out, "She enjoyed it more with me; I was better than you ever would be!" he teased spitefully. Another Chaos Spear and an incoherent scream followed.

"Alright, alright, calm down. Monica, go get a paramedic to tend to their wounds." the addressed cat, was still wide-eyed, but moved away with haste. Both had shallow slices from the clash of sharp quills and burns from the intense Chaos power both held within them. Any longer, and...who knows what would have happened? The end of the World?

"I don't need meds, Detective. _I've handled him before_, plenty of times"

"Stick a pill down his throat and hope he chokes." Shadow sneered. He then proceeded to stomp his way out of the room, stopping only to spit blood at Sonic. Disgusted at first, Sonic soon smirked as he realised that he was covered in his enemy's blood.

-

With Shadow now finally gone, after refusing treatment, Sonic was once again thrown in his cell. Meanwhile, Rhodes was talking to Monica.

"So, now what? Do we go after Rouge at this point? Those two are hopeless."

"Well, we know Sonic must've had something to do with Miss Rose's death; if he was completely innocent, he wouldn't have lied. But with only footprints of his, that's not much evidence to go on." Monica relayed, then flipped up a paper on her clipboard, "From what Shadow found out, there may have been...sexual relations between the two before she died..."

"Have her tested and let me know the results. I have to think for a minute." and with that, he stalked out the station and to his car, leaving Monica alone to preform her orders. Once inside, he started it up and rode all the way to the apartment of the victim; Amy Rose. He pushed open the unlocked door and looked around. It was still a mess in there. Apparently, the landlord oblivious to what happened here. He through the kitchen, where specks of blood were found. The living room... looked like a battlefield: A bloody mess and a horrid stench. The bathroom was clean and quite tidy. The last room he entered was the bedroom.

He looked around the bed for any disturbances and found none. He pulled open a drawer or two from her dresser and went to her nightstand. In the very bottom drawer, was a leather-bound book with her name on it.

A diary...?

Rhodes took out his phone and called Monica, "I think I found our next step."

**That concludes chapter 7. Come back later for chapter 8**

**Until next time…**


	8. Chapter 8

**First of all I want to start out with an official apology to the readers and my co-op partner xXDarkAngelKittenXx for the extended time that I've not been actively working on this story. However, life has its twists and turns that are unforeseeable, and more details you don't need nor get.**

**Now, what you all have been patiently (or impatiently?) waiting for:**

**Without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 8**

Feeling that it was an adequate explanation, Rhodes hung up on Monica, leaving her confused and intrigued. Putting his phone in his jacket, his gaze returned to the leather-bound book. Opening the book and looking inside, with a sigh, Rhodes began reading. Although he was conflicted about intruding on someone's private life, he put his personal preferences aside and started looking for clues.

"_Interesting"_ Rhodes thought, "_I think Shadow needs to see this"_

Closing the book, Rhodes looked around one more time before exiting. Getting in his car, he turned the keys that were still in the ignition, and the car came alive with a satisfying roar: His next destination was the G.U.N. headquarters.

Approaching the huge skyscraper was a sight to behold: the blue glass windows gleamed in the sunlight, with the contrasting dark grey walls and barbed wire around the perimeter. Showing his badge at the security gate, Rhodes was allowed to access this impressive complex. Parking his car, and stepping out of it, he made his way to the reception. After stating his business and asking for directions to Shadow's office, he was on his way. One elevator ride and a hallway later, he was outside Shadow's office. However, what greeted him, was not what he expected: An aggregated hedgehog was shouting into what he presumed was a phone.

"I can't do EVERYTHING for you! Prove to me that you aren't a complete waste of human skin. I've already got a case, and you are perfectly capable to do it yourself! In addition, I've got an incompetent detective up my behind who thinks I murdered my girlfriend…"

Deciding that this was the moment to intervene, Rhodes knocked on the door. However the response wasn't as expected: A loud sigh was heard followed by:

"If you're not the pizza guy or a prostitute, GO AWAY!"

Taken aback by the sudden rude outburst from the office, Rhodes needed a minute to recuperate.

"_At least he has kept his personality and demeanour intact through the tragedy"_

Intrigued, he listened to the rest of the conversation Shadow was having.

"Where was I… What do you mean you CAN'T do it? Well if you can't do it, I'll have your ass more sacked then Lindisfarne. That is one easy call to the administration, and boom: You're gone. You are useless to me, like a broken coffee machine: From bean to cup; you fuck up"

Slamming the phone on the table and letting out a clearly audible sigh, Rhodes forced his grin away. Admittedly, listening to Shadow's angry ramblings was quite entertaining, however, being on the receiving end would probably not be as pleasant. Knocking once more on the door, now knowing he wasn't busy, Rhodes was confident he would get another sarcastic comment flying his way. And sure enough, after a heavy sigh:

"Come the fuck in, or fuck the fuck off"

Taking it as his cue to enter, Rhodes opened the door and entered. Earning only a short glance for his entrance, Rhodes sat down in a chair and faced Shadow. However, the worn out ebony hedgehog wasn't facing him. Rather, he was looking down, resting his head in his hands. He looked tired and broken, yet somewhat confident, all at the same time.

"What do you want now? Want to blame me for more murders for no good reason? Go ahead, punk, make my day. Everyone else thinks I'm a monster, why don't you prove it" he viciously spat at the detective. Today was clearly not his day, and Rhodes knew it. Cutting straight to the point was probably the best approach to this situation.

"I found this…" Rhodes said, handing the book to Shadow. Picking it up, he read the cover.

"Amy… Rose… Her diary" Shadow said breathlessly. However, seemingly at the speed of sound, his mood changed: "Did you read this?" His tone was threating, and Rhodes knew he wasn't going to like nor accept the truth; he told him what he wanted to hear:

"No, not yet. I thought you should be the first one to read it"

Nodding in approval, the ebony hedgehog studied the leather-bound book in a quiet, solemn way.

"Thank you… Now leave… Please"

Watching him as he arose and left the room, Shadow was lost in thought; What secrets she kept from him? What would he discover by reading this book this book? Looking down at the book, he opened it and started turning the pages until he got to the date 10th of July: Two months ago. He started reading the entry.

"_Dear diary._

_Today might been the first day that I've been happy for weeks! Why you may ask? Well, at the park today, a certain ebony hedgehog asked me if I wanted "to spend some time with me this evening". I think that is Shadow's way to ask for a date! Maybe I'm overreacting… Or maybe not? As he would say; "Damn". I'm a bit stunned by the whole ordeal. However, I should at least try to impress tonight…" _

Shadow felt a small smile creep onto his face, and he couldn't help it. He remembered everything, as if it happened yesterday: How he was, for the first time in years, nervous. How joyed he was when she reacted positively; how joyed he was when the evening came, and she showed up. Turning the page, he read the next page: 11th of July.

"_Dear diary!_

_Shadow wasn't kidding around. Meeting him at the very park he asked me out, he took me for a joyride around town in his fancy car; I guess working at G.U.N. has its benefits. The ride ended when we arrived at a small Italian restaurant. I must say, Shadow picked a superb place; the atmosphere was flawless, with Italian music in the background, live candles and delicious food. And I will admit, my heart flutters just a tiny bit when I think back to the evening. I also learned a lot about Shadow: I never knew he was so… pleasant. We spent the night chitchatting, and I don't think the conversation ever stopped. Never once did I feel like I was talking to "Shadow – The Ultimate (at everything) Lifeform", the immortal, unstoppable badass that we all know. Why? That is my question. There is something about him that intrigues me… And, if I am lucky, there is something about me that intrigues him as well. The ball is in my court; time to make my move"_

Chuckling at the snarky comments made at his softer side, Shadow turned a couple of pages ahead, going up to a point in recent memory.

"_Dear diary…_

_Now I'm angry! He just won't leave me alone! He has been jealous since I got together with Shadow, and the straw that apparently broke the camel's back was that Shadow moved in with me. Speaking of Shadow; he is getting rather upset as well. And by upset I mean threatening to use his Chaos powers to rip him a new… You get the idea. He is a G.U.N. agent, and promised that the next time he came around here to harass us, he would give the term "police brutality" a completely new definition. I'm glad he is protective, it shows that he cares, but I don't want anyone to get hurt, especially not Shadow. I hope all turns out well."_

A frown had now developed on his face: Shadow knew that the next couple of pages was "do or die" for him: Was Sonic right? He knew that a girl such as Rose would not be able to keep a secret of such magnitude, and would confess to someone eventually: Would he find the confession? With a heavy sigh, he hesitantly turned the page: Night before the murder: 22nd of September.

"_Dear diary…_

_I think I'm going crazy! Sonic won't leave me alone! His advances have been extreme lately, and he wants to bed me! Dirty bastard. I know that if I accepted, Shadow would kill us both, and if I don't he will keep on harassing Shadow and me. And as a side note; Shadow is a way better alternative in bed, trust me. I would never betray Shadow; if I did, I would be no better than Sonic. THINK AMY! There must be something you can do to end it… End it…?" _

A wave of relief surged through Shadow as he read the entry. However, the reading the ending made the relief disappear.

"No… You didn't… She wouldn't…"

**Again, sorry for the wait. I'll try to be more regular with my updates. I believe the turbulent period I've been through is over.**

**Until next time…**


	9. Chapter 9

**After a long hiatus, We are finally back. However, we will still be uploading inconsistently, so nothing has really changed. Now, onto the story:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 9**

Closing the book, Shadow sighed heavily. His Rose wouldn't do something like that; Leave him here with nothing but sorrow. He stood up from his chair and went out the door. With a slightly heavy heart, Shadow found himself back at the police station a lot sooner than he had hoped - and for a different reason. Sighing, he tightened the hold on the leather-bound book and pushed open the door. Once inside he was greeted by Monica. She looked up and immediately recognized him.

"Hello, Mr. Shadow. Has Detective Rhodes called you in today?" she asked politely. Shifting in get seat and shuffling some papers, she gave him her full attention.

"No, he didn't. I wanted to speak with him... it's important..." the ebony-furred make started, averting his gaze to the book he possessed. Hers followed and although confused, shrugged it off and stood up.

"Well, he just got back. I'm sure he's available. Follow me, please."

The feline led Shadow down a series of corridors you wouldn't think such a small place would have before arriving at a door with a plaque that had Rhodes' name engraved in it on the wall. Monica stepped forward and knocked twice. A few seconds passed before she did once more.

"Come in," a voice said. Monica gestured the ebony hedgehog towards the door and stepped back. Shadow grabbed the knob and twisted it to see Rhodes sitting calmly in an office chair with his back to the door.

"Detective, Mr. Shadow has asked to see you," Monica spoke up before returning to her desk at the front. The detective turned around and a look of surprise flashed across his features before it settled into confusion.

"I'll be honest and say it certainly is a surprise to see you back so soon," the blue feline said shortly, "Any reason why?"

"It's about the book..." Shadow mumbled as he took a seat. He shoved the diary across the table to the detective. He felt a bit uncomfortable in the detective's gaze, and shifted his weight to get more comfortable while still looking somewhat professional.

"Found something interesting?" The detective asked, breaking the silence.

"You could say that," the ebony male replied sorrowfully. He opened the book and flipped it to the page with Amy's last entry. Passing it over to the detective, he allowed Rhodes to read it himself. The male's eyes scanned the page quickly before he looked up, trying to meet the other's crimson orbs again. However, Shadow looked down, not comfortable with the situation at all.

"So… what could this mean." Rhodes asked. The crimson orbs shot up to meet his gaze. "_What do you think it means, genius?" _Shadow thought before answering.

"I believe she may have... committed suicide..." Shadow said in a whisper, almost wishing the thought wasn't possible.

"Really now? That adds some pieces to the puzzle then..."Rhodes pondered aloud. "_If Miss Rose really did commit suicide, that pretty much chooses the case..._" Rhodes thought to himself.

"It's actually possible...?" the ebony make asked quietly, hoping that the answer would be no.

Rhodes nodded, "Very possible. With the story I gathered from Sonic, it seems he was a "little insistent" on getting back with Miss Rose. Surely, that would be enough to drive anyone mad. In that mental state, it would seem like such a thing was the only way to solve your problem. It's pretty common with depression." Rhodes finished, almost nonchalantly.

"..." Shadow was rendered speechless at the thought that Amy - his Rose - would actually consider such a way to deal with that blue wretch. "_All the more reason to kill him"_ Shadow thought to himself. "_An eye for an eye might make the world blind, but I'm forced to live in darkness anyways, so what do I care?"_

"Also, you may be interested to know that Monica was able to get in touch with Miss Rouge. It seems she'll be home from her 'vacation' tomorrow," the feline added to fill the silence, bringing Shadow out of his morbid train of thoughts.

"Is that all she was able to get out of her?" Shadow asked, feeling the anger seething inside him. He swore that he would punish everyone involved with this hideous crime, and if Rouge had anything to do with it, he would tear her apart with his bare hands

"Pretty much. She reported that Miss Rouge said she was in a rush to get to the airport, but if she knew what she was coming home to, I wouldn't think she would be..."

"Doesn't matter," Shadow interrupted, "She's still a suspect. I told you once, Rhodes, if you don't find out who did this to Rose, I will. I'm only standing back to not get into trouble, or hinder the investigation" although his voice was calm, he got his message across, loud and clear.

"I understand, Shadow, and I assure you, I'll find out what really happened." Rhodes assured the ebony hedgehog. Whether he believed it, was another story. Snatching the book up from the desk, Shadow stood up, "You better". With that, he walked out. Leaning back in his chair, Rhodes didn't look amused. "_This case just keeps getting more interesting by the minute..."_

Practically slamming the door behind him, Shadow walked out the door, a scornful frown planted on his face and his leather bound book in hand. He was going to solve this himself. He was going to do something he hadn't done in a while: He was going home.

**And that's that for this chapter. See you all next time.**


	10. Chapter 10

**FINALLY done with my seven exams and, by extension, this school year. This means that I finally have time to write again. Honestly, I missed it quite a bit. Let the show go on…**

**Without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 10**

Entering his car, Shadow put the key in the ignition but didn't turn it. Instead, he leant back and sighed heavily. Burying his face in his hands, he forced back most of the tears that tried to escape his eyes. The ones that did escape, slowly made their way down his tanned cheeks and soaked his gloves.

"It's all my fault" he viciously spat out between sobs, talking to no one but himself. "If I just would have come home earlier that day… This would have never happened…" Shadow bargained as he continued his personal breakdown. As he suffered in his own personal misery, he could feel a new anger build up inside him. The anger was fuelled by disappointment; disappointment in no one but himself. Slamming his fists into the steering wheel to vent his anger, Shadow's tears stopped flowing and his trademark frown replaced the grieving hedgehog's facial features. Recuperating from his breakdown, Shadow turned the key in the ignition, making the car come alive with a thunderous roar. Shadow, with newfound but wavering confidence, gripped the wheel, and set out to towards the place he once called home.

**-Shadows POV-**

Pulling into the driveway of Rose's apartment, I sighed heavily. I knew this would cause inner turmoil for me, but I also knew this was something I had to do. Opening the door and stepping out, I felt the cool autumn winds brush against my skin. It would had been rather pleasant if I wasn't about to inspect the site of my recently murdered girlfriend. Surrounding the house was a plastic barricade telling me not to cross. It was an off limits area after all, but then again, I was a G.U.N. agent, so I wasn't really restricted by it. Jumping over the barricade, I made my way towards front door and turned the doorknob. As expected, it was locked. I quickly got my keychain out of my pocked and swiftly found the key to the door. Unlocking it, I made my way inside. The first thing I noticed was the horrid stench of deteriorating blood. Not since the Black Arms invasion had I smelt something like this. I walked into the living room, my heart dropping when I saw the dried out blood on the wall and on the carpet. I averted my eyes from the sight to properly look around my home for the first time in days. _"The last time I was here, I didn't have much time to investigate, and I doubt that the useless human investigators managed to piece anything together"_ I mentally noted.

Taking a step back, I noticed how messy the living room was. Glass was broken, chairs were knocked over and pointless ornaments were knocked down from the walls. "_That would be out of place for a suicide… There was a fight here…" _I continued in my train of thoughts. I smirked at this; my Rose didn't leave me voluntarily, and gave whoever murdered her a good run for their money. Walking out of the living room and into the kitchen, I took a seat at one of the chairs in the room. I was pleased that this room was completely intact. It resembled the life I used to have. With a sigh, I started thinking, trying to puzzle the pieces together.

**-Normal POV-**

Rhodes sat in his office, knowing full and well that Shadow would, after their brief encounter, probably go out and try to find out what happened without him. He knew that Shadows infinite pool of patience was dried up, and he wasn't going to sit on the side-lines and watch this unfold. Rhodes sighed, knowing that he had no power to stop him either. Arising from his seat and walking out the door, he informed Monica about his new objective:

"I'm going to visit the G.U.N. headquarters. I'll be back soon enough"

Looking up from her computer, Monica nodded and asked:

"What are you going to do? Please don't search though something we don't have a warrant for"

Rhodes noticed that she had a worried frown priding her facial features.

"I'm just going to ask around about Shadow's behaviour in recent times"

Her frown eased up, and with wishes of good luck out of the way, Rhodes got going. In about ten minutes time, he was outside the massive complex. Exiting his squad car and entering the reception, he was quickly recognised by the receptionist because of his earlier encounter.

"Hello once again detective. Shadow isn't here at the moment, would you like to leave a message for him?" the female receptionist greeted with a wide smile. Rhodes couldn't help but let a small smile appear on his face as well.

"I'm not here to talk to Shadow; I'm here to talk about him. You see him, and probably greet him, almost every day. Would you care to answer a few questions?" Rhodes asked as politely as possible. Taken aback by the sudden request, the receptionist composed herself and responded:

"Eh… Sure, I guess. Will I be kept anonymous?"

"_She seemed to be a bit reluctant to talk about Shadow. More likely than not, his demeanour has left its mark" _Rhodes mentally noted.

"If you wish, you will be kept anonymous. If you got any questions, save them for later. Now, first question: How was Shadow attitude and behaviour about three of four months ago?"

The receptionist seemed a bit puzzled at first:

"Like… Before he got a girlfriend…?"

A quick nod of approval gestured her to go on.

"Before he got together with his girlfriend, he was… Angry, I guess? He wasn't exactly the happiest person around; he never smiled and, to be honest, he was kind of a… jerk. He would rarely speak to others, unless it was completely necessary. Even towards Rouge, his closest co-worker, he would be cold and calculated, never uttering a single phrase unless completely necessary. And when he spoke, he would probably humiliate whomever he was talking to by being sarcastic or rude"

Noting the information down on a piece of paper, Rhodes continued his questioning:

"And after he got together with his girlfriend…?"

"I wouldn't say very much changed, although it was noticeable. He was seen having a small smile on his face from time to time. He would talk more, even to me sometimes. He wasn't as rude as before, and rarely used any form of sarcasm. He became more … alive, if that makes sense."

Nodding in approval, a final question was asked by Rhodes:

"Have you noticed something changing lately?"

Rhodes already knew the answer, he just needed confirmation.

"Well, today he seemed to be his old self; he didn't even greet me when he came in. He had a frown on his face, and rumours say that he is less than pleasant to interact with."

Nodding for a third time and noting what she said on his paper, Rhodes looked up:

"Thank you for your time, that's all I need to know"

Turning to leave, he was stopped by the receptionist's voice:

"Wait…"

Turning once more to face her, she asked the detective:

"What happened to Shadow, and why do you need to know this?"

Rhodes wasn't prepared to answer, but had to make good on his promise of answering questions.

"The reason I need to know this is because Shadow is a suspect in a murder case, and the victim is his girlfriend"

Rhodes' tone was low and focused, not wanting to attract any unwanted attention. The receptionist, upon hearing this, gasps lightly and puts her hands to her mouth, muttering something along the lines of "_oh my, that's terrible"_. With a quick nod, Rhodes turned to leave once more, and nothing stopped him this time.

Upon returning to his office, he was greeted by Monica:

"So, how did your questioning go?"

Smirking, Rhodes answered:

"Pretty good. I got the information I wanted and needed. Now, could you be a darling and write this information down somewhere in Shadow's file? File it under behaviour and attitude" he said as he handed her the piece of paper with the information written on it. With a quick nod, Monica set off to complete her new objective. Rhodes on the other hand, retreated into his office and sat down in his chair, contemplating what had happened recently.

"_The possibility of suicide, Sonic's missing alibi, Rouge's convenient absence and Shadow's shifting behaviour… All stuck together in a web of secrets… This is going to be one hell of a challenge"_

**As I said, it has been a long time since I've written anything, so this will probably sub-par to what you are used to, and for that I apologize. Stay tuned to see what happens next.**

**Until next time… **


	11. Chapter 11

**Here we go! Another chapter for you people. **

**First, shout-out to "Blackroserocker" and happy belated-birthday**

**Secondly, Shout-out to my coop partner DarkAngelKitten for keeping up with my irregular uploads and hiatuses.**

**Now, without further ado:**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 11**

Meanwhile, Monica was working hard with filing in the additional information. The approaching sound of clicking heels caught attention. A few immature whistles came from her male co-workers as a curvaceous ivory bat walked in, heading her way. She took off her sunglasses to reveal beautiful blue eyes, almost intimidating the feline.

"Well, hello. You must be the young lady who called me?" She asked.

"Um, yes. Detective Rhodes needed to speak with you. If you follow -"

"I'm sure I can his office, dear. Just point me in the right direction." Rouge interrupted, examining her nails in boredom. Monica's tail bristled in agitation, but answered the question nonetheless.

"Down the hall..." she replied curtly.

"Thanks. Have a nice day, hun." The bat gave a finger wave and the clicking of heels echoed behind her. The feline could only shake her head.

Rouge found the door with the detective's name on it and gave a few knocks. A few seconds later, "Come in." Pushing the door open, she found the blue feline facing her with his head down in a book; the diary of Amy Rose.

He looked up, "Miss Rouge. Glad you could finally be here."

"Well a girl's got to get away sometimes. Now, let's cut to the chase and you tell me why I'm here." Although seemingly rude, she said it as sweetly as possible.

"Hmph... You're friends with Amy Rose, correct?"

"I wouldn't say friends, but I hung out with her now and then. Why?"

"She's been murdered." Rhodes said, closing the book. The female's eyes went wide before they narrowed.

"That's impossible. I talked to her before I left for vacation." Rouge said.

"When was that exactly?"

"About two weeks ago."

"...Strange. Your credit card information says you bought plane tickets to fly out the day after Miss Rose was murdered..." the blue feline watched as the bat glared at him.

"How dare you violate my privacy?!" She exclaimed.

"I dare when you're a suspect Miss Rouge." He said, his voice stern. The bat backed off a bit but kept her glare.

"I haven't gone anywhere near that girl before I left."

"Then where were you before the vacation?"

"I was on a mission. You know I work for G.U.N." The female bragged, "After I came back I looked for the earliest time to fly out for vacation."

_That could explain why she had Shadow's gun then_... Rhodes thought.

"So you haven't seen Any before leaving? Hung out with her before maybe?"

"Yeah I hung out with her. We went shopping, but we ran into Sonic and she wanted to leave. They dated but she cheated on him with Shadow. The nerve of that girl..." Rouge said in disgust.

"She cheated..."

"Of course she did! Shadow wasn't interested in her but she and Sonic 'weren't working out'. She used Shadow as an excuse. Everybody knows he liked me way before she came along."

_As distraught as Shadow is over the death, I highly doubt it_..., the feline thought to himself before asking, "Well, there's also the possibility of her committing suicide. Your thoughts?"

"She wasn't the most confident girl I knew, and Sonic wasn't exactly pleased seeing those two together. But suicide? I don't think so."

"Why so sure?" Rhodes asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Amy was one of those, bright side to life people. Everything had a positive outcome. But who cares...you done questioning me yet?" Rouge asked, taking out her sunglasses.

"I'm sorry if there's somewhere you have to be but this is kind of important." Rhodes said, as he started to glare.

"I'm a busy girl, Rhodes. Places to be, people to see. So if we're done here." The bat stood, already fixing her shades. The detective was about to order her to sit, but got an idea:

"Sure. Go right ahead. I'll call if we need anything else."

"I'm sure you will hun. Bye now!" With her little wave, and a wink, she made her way out. Rhodes picked up his phone and dialled Monica at the front desk.

"Hello? Yeah, I need you to send an undercover team to follow Miss Rouge for the day." 

Alison watched as Rouge walked up to Shadow at a coffee shop. Going in behind her, she dropped a bug underneath their table as she passed before sitting on the opposite side of the establishment. Acting as if she adjusting her earrings, she was able to pick up on their conversation.

"I heard about Amy. Sorry to hear..." the bat said.

"Who told you exactly?" The ebony male questioned.

"Some detective had his assistant call me while I was on vacation. Asked to talk to me, like I did something. Using my privacy is what they did!"

"They found my gun at your house… And blood that belonged to you..." Shadow spoke lowly.

The bat rolled her eyes, "Shadow, don't tell me you believe the crap they're telling you. It was probably set up for all you know."

"Blood test can't lie: You were there, Rouge. Why did they find you're blood?"

"...I got in a fight with Knuckles, bled a little and went to Amy to get away. I didn't know she would be killed the same night."

"Hmph. Doesn't explain why you had my gun." The male stated.

"To keep you from doing something crazy. I know how you felt about Sonic coming at Amy. Honestly, you should've let her go back to him." The bat snorted.

"Rouge, I already told you once, I'm not interested in you. The death of Rose didn't change that. I never liked you, our relationship is strictly business." Shadow explained irritated.

"You can always mix business with pleasure Shadow..." the female suggested, but the male stood up.

"So this is why you asked to see me? Learning that my girlfriend is gone just opens the opportunity got you to come in and take her place?" He sneered.

"Well, you wouldn't listen when you were with her, so maybe I can get some sense in your head now that she's gone, hmm?"

"Goodbye Rouge."

"Shadow c'mon! Get over that little brat! She was no good -"

"You will not disrespect Rose, and especially not now that she's gone! I don't want you and never will, got it? Good. Lose my number and forget where I live. We're done here." And with that, he walked off. The bat let out an annoyed sigh and stood up to leave.

Alison watched as the two went in opposite directions, before getting up, finding the listening device and headed back to the police station.

**Getting rather exciting at this point, eh? Another day, another chapter. This was DarkAngelKittens chapter, and I will be back as soon as possible with a new one. **

**Until next time.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Took its time, but it's finally here. My chapter this time. Not satisfied with it, but we'll see how it goes.**

**Now, without further ado…**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 12**

Confidently returning to the police station, Alison made her way down the various hallways, determined to relay the newly acquired information personally to the detective. When she finally made her way to the detective's door, she knocked on the door three times in rapid succession. A few seconds went by before a response came from the other side of the door.

"Come in"

Taking it as her signal to enter, she opened the door and walked into the office. Rhodes looked at her, his facial expression changing from a frown to a hopeful smile.

"Ah, Alison. Surprised that you're back so soon. Nonetheless, I need good news, so the question is; do you have it?"

Smiling back at him, she slowly walked over to the chair opposite Rhodes' desk and sat down.

"I got something, whether it's good or not is up to you..."

Grabbing a pen and paper, Rhodes got ready to write.

"First of all: Rouge is… Let's say, "_somewhat"_ interested in having a romantic relationship with Shadow. Secondly: Rouge defiantly stole Shadow's gun. Last bit of information is that Rouge claimed to be in a fight with an individual ironically named "Knuckles", indicating that she is proficient in hand to hand combat."

"So…" Rhodes started, having noted all the newly acquired information. "… You're saying we can possibly detain Rouge on one count of theft and one count of assault?"

"Maybe so, but not with this "evidence": This wouldn't hold in any court of law, and if we lose such a battle, we are, excuse me, pretty much screwed."

Rhodes stayed silent after that; he knew he had make sure all suspects would be within an arm's length if he needed them, but couldn't detain them without any reason. Feeling that she had worn out her welcome, Alison stood up.

"Perhaps you should get her in for questioning before she flies off again. Not telling you how to do your job, but that might be your best bet. Call me if you need anything."

Following the agent with his eyes, Rhodes watched as Alison left his office. Once he once again was alone in his office, Rhodes pondered about his next move. After a short while, a small smirk grew on his face; his idea fool-proof. He stood up from his chair, walked across the room, and exited his office. Walking up to Monica, he told her what was on his mind:

"Call Shadow and get him down here immediately"

**-Shadows POV-**

My face had an intense staring contest with the pavement as my pace quickened. I usually don't walk away from my problems, I usually don't let feelings take control and guide my actions. However, I did. I stomped away from Rouge in a furious rage.

"_I can't believe the nerve of that woman! Invites me to join her at a busy coffee shop, only to try to take advantage of my sorrow. She knows I don't like public areas, she knows I don't like unnecessary meetups, and by now she should know by now; that I don't like her."_ I mentally ranted. I just couldn't believe that she would use the death of Rose to try to advance her relationship status with me. I entered a small park that was situated close to the coffee shop. Sitting down on a nearby bench, rested my head in the palms of my hands. A sigh escaped my lips as I contemplated what the cause of the recent situations actually was: The death of Rose. Amy Rose. She was gone. Forever. Like a leaf in the wind and snow in the spring: Never to be seen again. The thought itself is unbearable, and the reality of it, like torture. Looking up and taking a good look around: In reality nothing has changed since that evening, but for me, the world looked bleaker. All the colour of life seemed to have disappeared… Once again. This has happened before; it is like déjà vu. Last time I got close to anyone, they ended up dead. Maria was the first one. Shot because of me. Rose was the second one. Murdered because of me. I thought this time would be different; I really did…

A sudden noise brought me out of my sombre train of thoughts. Looking around for the source of the noise, I quickly realised that it was my phone: Someone was trying to reach me. Taking the phone out of my pocket, I looked at the callers ID: it was Rhodes. With a heavy heart, I answered.

"Yes?"

As the detective talked to me, a small smirk appeared. I liked his plan, and knowing whom we're dealing with, it'll at least be entertaining.

"I'll be there in a few minutes"

**-Normal POV-**

Shadow walked into the police station and started making his way towards Rhodes' office, but was stopped by Monica:

"The detective is waiting for you in the interrogation room, please follow me"

Smirking, and nodding in approval, the ebony hedgehog followed Monica through the various hallways and corridors. Finally reaching the interrogation room, Monica opened the door and gestured for Shadow to enter the room. Once inside, Monica closed the door behind him. Looking around, his eyes finally resting on the detective. Shadow then proceeded to walk up to the empty chair besides him, sat down, and greeted the detective with a firm handshake:

"So… When are we starting?"

"Very shortly. I doubt that the ultimate lifeform needs a recap?" He answered, with a sarcastic undertone. Shadow gave the detective a single nod of confirmation. "Try not to lose it this time" the detective continued sternly, not wanting any violent confrontation, although it might be impossible knowing Shadow's temper. Shadow merely shrugged at the criticism:

"A means to an end, detective"

Rhodes was about to verbally retaliate when the door to the room was abruptly opened and a cuffed blue hedgehog was forcefully shoved into the room. Once inside, he was guided towards the only vacant chair in the room, located at the opposite side of the table that Rhodes and Shadow was sitting by. Once he was calmly sitting in that chair, the security personnel was ordered out of the room. As the door closed behind them, Rhodes and Shadow shared a knowing look before turning towards Sonic:

"So… When was the last time you saw Rouge the Bat?"

**Leaving you with a cliffhanger here. Going on a brief vacation (1 week), giving my coop partner some time to write the new chapter. (No stress DAK). **

**Until next time**


	13. Chapter 13

**Finally back with a new chapter. Other than that, I have nothing to declare.**

**Without further ado…**

**Roses Bleed Red: Chapter 13**

Expecting an exaggerated reaction, the two looked on as Sonic's stare switched between them with a look of boredom. He was tired of being in this wretched place, staying in a dank cell for the past few days had him annoyed and wondering why he was still being questioned. Said questioning didn't even seem to faze him, but he wasn't exactly paying attention either.

"I don't exactly remember...but why do you care?" he replied lazily, looking down at his cuffs with sudden interest. Rhodes held back a scoff; a typical answer.

"You'll find out why we care momentarily. I'm sure you only like to remember what you want, so let's jog your memory: We all know you wanted Rose since she's been with me, correct?" the ebony male stated, raising an eyebrow when the other just rolled his eyes.

"Sure. But y'know, she's dead now. Kinda stupid to remind me she was with someone like you when she died when you wanna know about someone else." Sonic sneered. The blue cat watched silently, now seeing a pattern with both Sonic and Rouge. Whenever mentioning the relationship between Amy and Shadow, both become defensive against one or the other. Of course Shadow had his own reason to be against the blue hedgehog, but it wasn't the same...and at this point was a little suspicious.

Shadow smirked smugly, "Oh but it will actually. You wanted me out of the picture so you could have her of course..." he trailed off seeing the blue hedgehog grit his teeth in growing irritation.

"Well, y'know what they say; three's a crowd. I'm not exactly comfortable sharing my women, much less with you." Sonic retorted, trying to keep his cool.

The smirk never left, "I'm sure. And I'm sure you're aware that Rouge is interested in me as well."

"What does this have to do with anything?!" the blue hedgehog interrupted, obviously losing it. The guard prepared himself in case anything happened.

"It has everything to do with everything. The very reason why you're involved in Rose's murder if you want me to be exact." the ebony hedgehog said, narrowing his eyes. Rhodes was thrown off when Sonic looked hurt from the accusation, but Shadow wasn't buying it.

"Why would I kill Amy? I loved her, you idiot!"

"Exactly. This whole thing is just one of those cliché movie plots; if you can't have her, no one can. With her out the picture, you were hoping to frame me so that way I wouldn't be a problem to you anymore. Only you didn't think you'd regret having killed her and called the police on yourself!" Shadow exclaimed, slamming his hands down on the table.

Everyone in the room went silent, staring wide eyed at the possibly deranged Shadow the Hedgehog. Was he even going anywhere with such a ludicrous theory?

A growl came from the blue hedgehog as he jumped from his seat and tried to attack Shadow. He moved out the way, simply swatting him away as the guard grabbed him. "How dare you?! That's the stupidest crap I've ever heard! You don't have any proof I did anything to her!" Sonic screamed. Rhodes looked the ebony male, hoping he knew what he was doing. Otherwise, this would be a bust…

"We have enough that would put you there. All you have to do is admit to it and this will be over, Sonic."

"I'm not being put away for something you can't prove!"

"Fine then. Rhodes, would you mind telling Sonic what you've gathered over the past few days?"

Rhodes began to smirk as he took out Monica's notes; one day he would properly thank her, "Sure. You admitted to wanting Ms. Rose and having even approached her several times on the matter of getting her away from Shadow. When you realized she wasn't going to, you decided to find a way to solve your problems-"

"That doesn't prove I did anything!" Sonic interrupted.

Shadow rolled his eyes, "Shut up and listen for once, faker."

Rhodes went on, "As I was saying, since nothing sensible worked, you decided to take drastic measures and murder Ms. Rose in a fashion where it would seem Shadow did so instead of yourself. Your footprints were found all over the crime scene, and having been the only one there at the time of the murder, you're our most obvious suspect."

"Are you forgetting the part where I'm involved in actually killing her? For all you know, Shadow might've ACTUALLY done it." the blue hedgehog sneered, ready to attack again.

"Not likely; you see, a co-worker of Shadow's noticed a change in his attitude before, during and after his relationship with Ms. Rose: Before he was usually rude and standoffish-"

"Watch it, Rhodes." Shadow warned sternly.

"But after they became a couple, he was a little more positive and would occasionally speak to his co-workers in a more… positive manner. If one girl can change his mood so positively, what motive does he have to kill her? You, however, hold malice towards them both meaning you wouldn't care which you lost. Even if it be the one loved."

Monica is very detailed in her summaries, Shadow noted.

"..."

For once, the quirky blue hedgehog was speechless. Looking towards the floor with a distant look. Rhodes gave Shadow a look, wondering if all that did anything. The ebony male was watching for any reaction, ignoring it the detective's gaze.

"Well?" Shadow asked, impatiently.

A few seconds passed before Sonic looked up, "...I hate you," he spat, "If it wasn't for your existence, Amy and I would be together. You think I wanted to do that? That girl can't listen to reason, so I had to take matters in my own hands. Take away what made you happy and make the rest of your life miserable..."

Crimson orbs narrowed, "Of course that's what you wanted had you gotten away with it. You just underestimated my intelligence: I figured your little plan out. We're done here; get him out of my sight."

The guard hauled him up and out the room and surprisingly, he went quietly. Rhodes sat back, impressed. He too, had underestimated the ebony male.

"Okay, that was fantastic and all, but how does Rouge still fit in all this?" the blue cat asked.

"I'll leave that up to you. Maybe you should ask Monica for once, she figured it out before I did." With that being said, the ebony male made his leave, slamming the door behind him. He had found who murdered his rose and put him behind bars; now it was Rhodes' turn to hold up to his job as detective.

**I got to say, this I my personal favourite chapter so far. A round of applause for DAK for this one. Anyways, there is about two or three chapters left of this story, ill update as soon as possible.**

**Until next time…**


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